The Perfect Recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas – Brunch 'n Bites (2024)

On Thanksgiving or Christmas day, you want to make sure everyone is happy with fresh and delicious meals. If you are out of ideas or just want to cook something fresh, Brenda Gantt cornbread dressing is a great option. This Southern cornbread dressing is known for being moist, savory, and beautifully seasoned with sage, celery, and onion. It is a classic that hits the Thanksgiving table year after year.

Not only Brenda Gantt cornbread dressing, here we share two Brenda Gantt cornbread recipes, another one is Brenda Gantt cornbread salad recipe. Let’s check them out!

Brenda Gantt Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Ingredients for the Cornbread

• One cup of self-rising cornmeal (buy here)
• 1/2 cup of self-rising White Lily flour (buy here)
• 3/4 cup of buttermilk (buy here)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (buy here)

Ingredients for the Dressing

• one stick or 8 tablespoons of butter
• 3 medium onions (chopped) (buy here)
• 4 stalks of celery (chopped) (buy here)
• One teaspoon of poultry seasoning (buy here)
• One and a half teaspoons of dry sage (buy here)
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 3 slices of toast (crumbled) (buy here)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups of broth or chicken stock (buy here)
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Equipment

• Oven (buy here)
• iron pan (buy here)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients for the cornbread. Then, pour into a lightly greased 9-inch cast iron pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Before using it, crush it into small pieces.
• By using a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Put in the celery and onions and cook until soft.
• Add the sage, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to the onion mixture.
• In a large bowl, combine the crushed cornbread and toast.
• Whisk the milk and eggs together and put them into a bowl. Stir in 2 cups of chicken broth.
• Mix in the onion mixture. Keep in mind that the mixture should be very moist. Add more broth if necessary.
• Transfer to a greased baking tin. Cut the butter into small slices and sprinkle over the dressing.
• Now, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the top is light brown.

Useful Tips

• When you measure the cornbread cubes for this recipe, make sure not to pack the cubes or crush the cornbread into the measuring cup. Just add it to the cup.
• Twenty cups may seem like too much cornbread, but the bread will crack when stirred and baked, and there’s no other bread in this recipe to top it off.
• This cornbread recipe should be made a day or two in advance.

Brenda Gantt Cornbread Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (8.5 ounce) package of corn muffin mix
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can of whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle of Catalina dressing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Prepare the corn muffin mix according to the package instructions and bake in a 9×13 inch baking dish for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Let the cornbread cool and then crumble it into small pieces.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream.
5. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, bacon, and cheddar cheese.
6. Add the mayonnaise and sour cream mixture to the bowl and toss everything together until evenly coated.
7. Pour the Catalina dressing over the salad and toss again to combine.
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
9. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Note: You can adjust the ingredients and measurements to your taste preferences. You can also add other ingredients like avocado or jalapeños for an extra kick.

Get the Ingredients and Equipment Online

1. Self-Rising Cornmeal

This is Martha White’s self-rising corn meal. It has been a popular product among all because of its benefits that fit people’s kitchens for years. With this product, you can bake and cook your recipes and be satisfied with the result.

Its ingredients include white corn, wheat flour, degermination white corn edge, baking powder, baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, and salt.

2. Self-Rising White Lily Flour

For the flour, consider getting this self-rising White Lily flour. Not only is it a popular product, but it is also a good addition to your baking and cooking. This product has been a favorite of Southern cooks for generations.

You can create many incredible recipes with this flour, such as coffee cakes, biscuits, muffins, waffles, pastries, quick breads, pancakes, quick loaves, and much more. Where to buy White Lily flour online? Fortunately, it’s always available on Amazon.

3. Onions

This product comes from Cyber Sweetz and has a weight of 6 pounds per pack. As a good-quality product, these onions are sweet, mild flavored, and perfect for your favorite recipes. Whether you want to cook them or use them raw, these onions are the best option for you.

4. Celery

Another recipe for this Brenda Gantt cornbread dressing is celery. We have this celery for you that comes from the Fresh Celery brand. This product is fresh and comes with a bundle of celery. This celery is the ideal ingredient to have on hand for a good addition to this Brenda Gantt dressing recipe.

5. Poultry Seasoning

This product is a traditional blend of organic black pepper, sage, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and organic nutmeg. It comes in a bottle with a savory flavor to take your Thanksgiving recipe to another level.

The product itself has been certified organic, vegetarian, vegan, and non-GMO. This poultry seasoning is great for your every-day dishes, like pot pie, meatloaf, chicken salad, baked chicken, and it’s also suitable for holiday dishes like stuffing, gravy, and roast turkey.

6. Dry Sage

This dry sage is one of the most popular products out there. When you buy this, you get six packs of sage. Season this sage with other ingredients for this recipe and see how it can take your cooking to a whole new level. This product comes securely packaged in a box with each sage tied tightly.

7. Toast

This is Bauducco’s original toast. It offers four packs of toast with 23 calories per slice. This is one of the best Brenda Gantt recipes, and this cornbread dressing recipe has to have some slices of toast.

This is a good option for you. With 160 grams of product, this toast can complete your cooking and other kitchen purposes.

8. Chicken Broth

For chicken broth, this product is suitable for the recipe you are making. It is a gluten-free product, organic, and low sodium. It is made with chicken flavor, cane sugar, yeast extract, and onion powder.

The product is made with a perfect combination of organic, free-range chicken and seasonings. You can use it as a base for soups, risottos, and even pasta dishes.

9. Cast Iron Pan

One of the pieces of equipment for making this recipe is a cast iron pan. We recommend this set of pre-seasoned cast iron pans for you. The 3-pack pans come in ideal sizes of 6 inches, 8 inches, and 10 inches.

The set comes in black with a premium quality, is non-toxic, and coated with an extra layer for heat protection. As a highly compatible product, this set of pans is great for frying, grilling, braising, sautéing, roasting, and broiling.

10. Oven

With this oven, you can either bake, broil, or toast to fit your daily cooking needs. It comes with two rack capacities that can fit 2 to 4 slices of bread and even 9 inches of pizza. The included items are a non-stick baking rack, a baking pan, and a crumb tray that allow you to clean easily.

The 30-Minute-Timer includes precise toast color preferences and fixed features for longer baking tasks. This item is definitely a good addition to this Brenda Gantt cornbread dressing.

How long to cook dressing at 350?

The cooking time for dressing at 350°F (175°C) can vary depending on the recipe and the size of the dish you are using. However, as a general guideline, most recipes for dressing or stuffing require baking for approximately 35 to 45 minutes at this temperature.

It’s important to note that the internal temperature of the dressing should reach at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure it’s cooked through and safe to eat. So, you may want to use a food thermometer to check the temperature in the center of the dish after baking. If the internal temperature is below 165°F (74°C), continue baking until it reaches that temperature.

How long to bake dressing at 400?

The baking time for dressing at 400°F (200°C) can also vary depending on the recipe and the size of the dish. As a general rule, most recipes for dressing or stuffing require baking for approximately 25 to 35 minutes at this temperature.

However, it’s important to note that you should check the dish for doneness periodically during baking, as ovens can vary in temperature and cooking time may need to be adjusted accordingly. You can check the doneness of the dressing by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center of the dish. If it comes out clean and the top is golden brown and crispy, the dressing is done.

Also, make sure the internal temperature of the dressing reaches at least 165°F (74°C) before serving to ensure that it is cooked through and safe to eat.

What color cornmeal for dressing?

The color of the cornmeal used for dressing is a matter of personal preference and can vary depending on the region and recipe.

Traditionally, yellow cornmeal is more commonly used for Southern-style cornbread dressing, while white cornmeal is more commonly used for Northern-style dressing. However, both yellow and white cornmeal can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

Keep in mind that the texture and flavor of the cornmeal can also affect the final result of the dressing. Finer-grind cornmeal will produce a smoother texture, while coarser cornmeal will add more texture and crunch to the dish. So, it’s best to choose the type of cornmeal that will best suit your desired texture and flavor for your dressing recipe.

Does dressing rise in the oven?

Dressing or stuffing typically does not rise significantly in the oven during baking. Unlike bread or cake batter that contains yeast or leavening agents that cause it to rise, dressing is typically made from a mixture of cornbread or bread cubes, seasonings, and other ingredients that are mixed together and then baked until crispy and golden.

However, some recipes may call for the addition of baking powder or beaten eggs to the mixture, which can cause it to rise slightly while baking. But even then, the rise is usually minimal and the finished product will still have a dense texture.

Overall, the goal of baking dressing is to achieve a crispy, golden brown top and a moist, flavorful interior, rather than to achieve significant rise.